MarketWatchMore Personal Finance Daily storiesMarketWatch - 9 hours agoWell, I never took the vacation for about 10 years. I was starting to take a short ones recently. When I came back from vacation for 2 weeks recently, …Read full story ... (Read More)
Strands Absorbs Another Personal Finance CompanyWashington Post, United States - May 15, 2008Both are personal finance applications that Strands' wanted mostly for their human capital, but also for some of their technology assets. …Strands acquires NetworthIQ Portland Business Journal Bizjournals.comStrands buys NetworthIQ The Oregonian - OregonLive.comStrands Acquires Social Money Site NetworthIQ Northwest innovationall 15 news articlesRead full story ... (Read More)
Ben Stein has a book called How to Ruin Your Finances. To be honest, I’m not sure an entire book is needed on the subject-there are some fairly quick and easy ways to accomplish the task. (Before continuing, let me be clear that I do not actually recommend such activities-This is a reductio absurdum argument, meant to spur an opposing realization.) #1: Buy everything, yes, everything You never know when a neighbor may come over to use your dish towels, so make sure they are Ralph Lauren, less than six months old, and all the same color. While you’re at it, buy things that you don&#... (Read More)
Many people spend their little income haphazardly without any planning and end up getting broke before month-end. They then borrow to make ends meet and end up with more problems that they fail to repay their debts promptly. However, this is not a prudent way of managing your personal financial affairs. Planning your personal financial affairs through prioritization of needs and budgeting income and expenses is the best way to achieving success in managing your financial affairs. It is important first to assess your financial needs in the short, medium and long term. What are your financial ob... (Read More)
Most of us, especially those of us who have debtor’s disease (if you have it you know what it is!), have commented or at least thought, “If I could just win the lottery, or sweepstakes, everything would be better.” Unfortunately, even if that big dream did come true things probably would get worse instead of better. It’s a strange phenomenon. It seems the more money you have, the more you need. It makes perfect sense. Given more money, most people would increase their standard of living. My question is, “If you haven’t properly managed the money you have now... (Read More)
Reducing the clothing budget was a serious challenge for me. Two pre-teen girls and a teenage girl certainly didn’t make life any easier. My son wasn’t much of a challenge. Thank goodness, he’s not “fashion conscious”. The girls on the other hand were greatly disappointed in the new methods of clothing acquisition. Freebies, thrift stores, yard sales, consignment shops, and clearance items weren’t exactly their style. I found that changing the way I approached them on the subject made things a little easier. For instance we don’t buy “used”... (Read More)
Does it feel like you have to be Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery behind balancing your personal budget? Are you living a mysterious thriller where your realization of “financial independence and security” is a vicious repeating cycle of debt? Don’t be afraid?…Somehow you’ve ended up lost in the “plastic zone”. ‘ The “plastic zone” is a scary place. But you’re not alone. There are millions of people today living the same mysterious life in the plastic zone. Remember green money? You know, that green paper with presidents pro... (Read More)
I think most of us have at some point in our lives. Some how we forget to feed the little piggy. And, like most neglected “pets”, your piggy bank will disappear if you don’t feed it. A personal budget is important to create financial independence and setting goals for feeding that “piggy bank” should be an important part of your budget! The most successful financial plans allow you to INVEST IN YOURSELF! It just makes good sense. A plan to build financial security should always be considered essential to any budget. Even if you’re on a plan to reduce debt, y... (Read More)
Of course, these don’t have to be done in any particular order! Just pick one or two that particularly apply to your situation. * Create your 2005 filing system. This might include new file folders, a new box to hold them or space in a filing cabinet with easy access. Mp> * Set up a folder to collect all the important 2004 tax documents which will be arriving soon. Sure to arrive at your house are W-2s, 1099s, mortgage statements, etc. * Set up an appointment with your tax professional early so you get the appointment of your choice. This also gives you a deadline to get your informat... (Read More)
Frugal living is more than a lifestyle. It’s a passion. Call Me Crazy! I love It! Why, who wouldn’t love getting paid to buy products that they use everyday? Here’s how I do it. I purchase an item that has a rebate offer (either a store or manufacturer rebate) while it is on sale and use a coupon during purchase. That’s it! Using this formula I almost always come out ahead. When all is done, I’ve gotten back more than I actually paid for the item. Even when I do have to pay for the items like deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes it’s about ... (Read More)
